Monday, June 1, 2015

Why Custom Handloaded Ammunition?

I manufacture Custom Handloaded
Ammunition for a living, and one of the questions I’m constantly asked, is “What is that?” Simply stated, I don’t
really manufacture anything, except in the eyes of the Government. I assemble
ammunition, but for licensing purposes, it is considered manufacturing. Don’t
you love the Government? So let’s take a look at what I really do, and why many
think it is better.

Working
from the premise that there is no such thing as one size fits all, anyone who
shoots a lot understands factory ammunition is at best a compromise. Please don’t
get me wrong, factory ammunition has come a long - long way from when I first
started shooting, but none-the-less, to this day, ammunition manufacturers
struggle to make one size fit all. There are so many variables in rifle
manufacturing today – chamber dimensions and rates-of-twist in barrels, to name
just two factors. And, to make matters worse, some of these factors can vary
between individual rifles of the same caliber, even in the same lot from the
same manufacturer. Then consider the push for accuracy, especially at longer
distances, than ever before seen and you can see how it is a struggle. Another
reality factory ammunition manufacturer’s face is having to stay within SAAMI
specifications for liability purposes, which can in some cases can and will affect
accuracy. For those that don’t know who or what SAAMI is – they are Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute
(SAAMI). They are an association of the nation's leading manufacturers of
firearms, ammunition and components. Founded in 1926 at the request of the
federal government, they are tasked with creating and publishing cartridge and
firearm industry standards for safety, interchangeability, reliability and
quality. So as you can begin to see, with factory ammunition, there are some
real challenges to overcome, especially when some shooters are demanding so
much from their ammunition.

That’s where I come in. After spending a lifetime
studying ballistics and learning everything I can about ammunition and what
makes it better, as well as countless hours at the range experimenting and
shooting I finally felt comfortable enough to get my manufacturer’s license
(remember the government) and go into business April 2008. My whole business
revolves around producing the finest custom handloaded ammunition I can. I specialize
in hard-to-get and unique ammunition, meaning the ammunition you aren’t going
to be able to find on the shelf of your local sporting goods store or even some
of the larger chains for that matter. It maybe a rare safari caliber that
someone really wants to take to Africa or someone who wants a very specialized
cartridge for long distance target shooting.

In
the end it all comes down to the bullet, but getting that bullet accurately
down range and making sure it performs as demanded brings to bare a whole host
of factors that one must take into consideration. Bullet selection, brass,
powder, and even primers used can all affect the performance of a given
cartridge. So let’s take a look at some of the variables.

Where
I have an advantage is I’m not limited by selection. Meaning, within a given
caliber the selection of bullets I can choose from is greater than what maybe
typically found on the retail shelf. Many manufactures limit what they offer
based on sheer sales volume, meaning they have to make a choice on what
ammunition and what bullets to offer based on sales records and marketing
projections. This means they may focus on the more popular calibers, and if
possible maybe have a limited run, say once a year, of some other
not-so-popular calibers. On the other hand, my business is order driven,
meaning I don’t load ammunition I think will sell, rather I load what my
customer’s request, so I have a great choice of options to choose from. For
example, take a 308 Winchester – there are hundreds of choices available for
that caliber, still I have customers I load 308s for with bullets that are not
commercially available.

Don’t think ordering ammunition from
me is as simple as calling and asking for a box or two of something. All my
orders begin with a considerable amount of research. Chamber specs, if known,
are discussed, as well as rates of twist of the rifling, and most importantly,
what is the round being used for. From there loads are developed. Sometimes
this process can take weeks, and in some rare cases even months: especially if
it is an obsolete or very rare caliber. In some cases the components maybe very
hard to come by and require special orders to get what is needed.

From
there the real work begins; assembling the finest components available to
develop a cartridge that will do what is asked of it, every time. That’s really
one of the biggest advantages of custom hand loaded ammunition, the confidence
in knowing every shot will be close to the first one taken. Whether it’s in a
hunting environment or someone shooting in a 1000 meter competition,
consistency in the group is paramount.

Another factor to consider when
hunting is whether or not the bullets will perform once they reached the target.
Last month I explored the differences in some bullets and their intended uses.
As I noted, Match Grade bullets are designed to provide as high a Ballistic
Co-efficiency as possible. Those type bullets are designed strictly to fly as
flat and true as possible and not for penetration on a target; therefore, they
are pretty well useless in a hunting scenario. But, that’s not to say any or
all hunting bullets aren’t accurate. Nothing could be further from the truth
today as there are a whole host of extremely accurate hunting bullets
available. I’ve been using a legendary Sierra .224 Hollow Point Boattail
GameKing bullet for varmint hunting for decades now. I’ve taken shots out to
500 yards without hesitation with those bullets and been right on the mark. I
was doing that at a time when a 500 yard shot meant something. So as you can
see there are a lot of choices open to shooters who utilize custom hand loaded
ammunition.

Not all the ammunition I load is for
long distance shooting. Truthfully I load a lot of ammunition for safari
hunters who consider a 75-100 yard shot really long. When it comes to dangerous
game, it’s not necessarily about distance, as many of those hunts are up close
and personal. Rather it’s about confidence in the ammunition and its knockdown
power. This is where my experience and research really pays off, understanding
kinetic energy and penetration. This is where knowing what’s going to give a
hunter the best options to stop something really big that is dead set and
determined to hurt him.

My
investment in time and equipment was substantial, and I can say with a great
deal of pride that ammunition I’ve loaded has been carried all over the world -
from the savannahs of Africa, to the mountains of New Zealand, as well as all
of North America. There are several long range target shooters who depend on me
to provide the accuracy they demand for the competitions they shoot.